An Innovative Solution to Crafting Sustainable Precious Metals

To celebrate the 75th birthday of His Majesty King Charles III, The Royal Mint has produced a half-ounce silver Proof coin uniquely crafted from recovered silver. In a minting first, and as part of our commitment to operating sustainably, this particular edition of the coin has been struck with a blend of silver recovered from medical and industrial X-ray films.

Although we already use silver recovered from X-ray films in our jewellery collection, 886 by The Royal Mint, this is the first commemorative coin we have made from this unique source of recovered and traceable precious metal.

This exciting innovation follows our introduction of the use of gold recovered from electronic waste in 2022 and is another step towards reducing our reliance on mined materials.

Created by Dan Thorne, a product designer at The Royal Mint, the reverse design for the coin commemorating His Majesty The King’s 75th birthday was personally approved by His Majesty. Featuring The King’s royal cypher, the design also includes the number 75 framed within oak leaves and delphiniums. Striking this particular coin with silver recovered from X-ray films was a fitting choice as King Charles III is a passionate advocate of sustainability. For more than 50 years, His Majesty has campaigned on environmental issues, consistently communicating the importance of preserving the Earth’s natural resources for future generations.

Our organisation is committed to operating more sustainably, with the use of silver recovered from X-ray films just one example of this, along with our plans to become net zero by 2050. We are also passionate about promoting and showcasing British craftsmanship, and will continue to collaborate with partners that share our values and ambition. This half-ounce coin commemorating The King’s 75th birthday embodies this approach and helps demonstrate our aim to become leaders in sustainable precious metals.